The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop which six cylinders fit 1954 hyfdra-matic

I have a 1954 Chevy 3100 pickup. It has a 235 coupled to a four speed hydra-matic. At this time the engine is running fine but not owing the truck for long I really don't know the condition of the engine. I may pick up another engine in case I need it later. What are the newset six cylinder engines that can be bolted to the hydra-matic and still fit into a 1954 model 3100?
I perfer the 235 because they are easier to come by.

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The '54 235 is unique in some ways, and unless you are willing to make modifications there is no newer motor that will fit in your truck.

However the 235 was in general use through 1962 and with some work, like changing the water pump and maybe in some cases the engine mount, the later motors can be swapped in.

Other options include the Chevy 261 and the GMC 228, 248, 270 and 302. I've read that the 261 was used in Canadian Pontiacs after 1962, so that may be the correct answer, but I don't know how accurate it is.

The motors I've listed, with the possible exception of the 228, were all offered with the same Hydra-Matic you have. I personally own a '54 GMC with a 248 and Hyrda-Matic.

54 Chev 235 was first pressure oiler. You can use a 54 or later 235 as well as a 261. Chev and GMC use different linkage as the GMC engines are longer and even the 235 Chev will use the other pivot point on the side of the block vs. a manual transmission engine. I think Oldsub is thinking 53 when he called it a unique engine. As I understand it, 53 had a 235 that was still a splash oiler. You may want to do some rnnout checks on the crank and the adapter plate opening as well as the torrus neck. There was a plate that stated that trans and engines were a matched set and not to swap them but it is all in the runout checks described in the service manual.

No Greg I was thinking specifically of the '54 235 found in pickups. It has pressure oil as you say, but in stock configuration it is shorter than the later 235s. This is what I meant by unique.

The '54 235 is the easiest full pressure 235 to swap into an earlier chassis.

The point I was trying to make is that modifications will be required to use ANY later motor but that there are lots of options available that will work in front of the Hydra-Matic with just a little more work.

Except for my mention of the 228 I was ignoring earlier motors in my response based on specifically what was asked.

Tim put a later 261 in his 54 suburban and it was a bo;t in other than the adapter to move the water pump. I'm going to disagree. I will point Tim and WDofTexas to this poast and we will get more input. Again, we are talking Chevy here.

The 1954-1962 235 and 261 blocks are all the same length, but the overall engine length of the 55-62 engines is longer that the overall engine length of a 54/55 235/261.

OldSub is correctly describing differences in total engine length and I think that Greg is thinking block length (which is the same from 54-62 for all 235/261 blocks).

The 1954/55 235/261 engines have a shorter shaft on the water pump. The 55-62 235/261s can be easily adapted to attach the earlier short-shaft water pump on a 47-55 truck, Or, a special short-shaft water pump of later design may be obtained from a few vendors (that pump will work but the fan is not in the original location).

The front motor mount plates might be different over the years but this is easily swapped or converted.

If you bolt the right 216/235/261 clutch housing on any 1954-1962 235/261 block, it will mount in any 1947-1955 Chevy truck.

So, the overall length of the 55-62 235/261 engines are longer than the 54/55 engines, due to the water pump.

As stated above by OldSub, the 54/55 235/261 is the easiest swap into 1954 truck; adapting a 55-62 235/261 requires relatively easy adaptations; and, swapping to a GMC engine requires more significant adaptations (to fit into a 47-55 Chevy truck).

Tim

A comment here about using a later model I6 in a hydro truck. If you were able to find a 55 Chevy thru ? V8 hydro bell housing, you could us the next generation Chevy 6. That is the 230/250 and 292.

Thank you, I appreciate the help!

Thank you for your input!

Thank you for your input!

Thank you for your input!

Quick question guys - want to put the entire 55-62 235 engine tranny and drive shaft into my 54 .5 tom will it work of will I need modifications : 43 chevy bell housing which will bolt to the rear engine mount? or will that 55-62 bell housing work just fine? My truck has no engine and I need to drive her soon.
marlo

Marlo you'll often get a better response and answers if you start your own thread for the question.